Green tea Inhibition Tuberculosis

Two million people worldwide die each year from tuberculosis. World Health Organization (WHO) reported in Indonesia in 2006 found 14.4 million cases of tuberculosis with 38 deaths per 100,000 population. As many as 98 percent of deaths occur in the productive age population.
Although it has been available antituberculosis drugs (TB), TB remains a major global health problem. The causes, characteristics of the bacteria that causes TB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is able to evade the human immune system so it is sometimes less effective therapy.

Inconsistent treatment of drug resistance due to mutations causing mycobacteria chromosome so as to avoid the effects of drug action, became an obstacle.
Departing from the condition of these concerns, three semesters VII student of Faculty of Medicine, University of March Solo, namely Afandi Dwi Harmoko, Yasjudan Rastrama, and Trisna Adhy Wijaya, analyzed several studies and concluded that green tea (Camellia sinensis) may be used as adjuvant therapy (supporting) for the existing TB therapies. This is because green tea contains polyphenol compounds that can inhibit the proliferation of mycobacteria, namely epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Each gram contains 30-50 grams of green tea EGCG.
Actually black tea also contains polyphenols EGCG, but not as much as green tea. Black tea production process makes the content of EGCG reduced.
"It's very interesting because in our country there are lots of green tea, but less than optimal utilization of health," Hassanain said Thursday (2/2).
One third of the references used are research students Anand PK, Kaul D, and M Sharma in India in 2006 about the polyphenols in green tea can inhibit proliferation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This research suggests that mycobacteria die after 12 hours of being exposed to EGCG from green tea.
Enhance the immune
According to Hassanain, EGCG has a mechanism as an immunomodulator, which boosts the immune system that can kill mycobacteria as well as lower the immune system that can damage normal cells. The mechanism is not found in anti-TB drugs in use today.
Other benefits of EGCG is an antioxidant that is 10 times more powerful than antioxidant vitamins C and 100 times stronger than vitamin E.
In addition, EGCG can also inhibit the growth of Taco (tryptophan aspartate-containing coat protein) in macrophages. Macrophages are the immune cells that destroy defective cells as well as turn off harmful substances, such as bacteria or viruses. On the other hand, macrophages can not destroy mycobacteria because it is protected by Taco, a protein produced macrophages.
"Taco Mikobakterium use to protect itself so it can not be destroyed by macrophages. EGCG in green tea can inhibit the growth of Taco, "Hassanain said.
For separating EGCG from green tea, according to Yasjudan, can be done with green tea extract with meserasi extraction method, which is soaked in a solvent of chloroform, methanol 95 percent, and ethyl acetate, then take the juice. This method can be extracted without damaging the stability of EGCG.
"We hope there is more research on this, especially the effective dose of EGCG for supportive therapy and its side effects," Hassanain said.
The results of the analysis of the three students who poured in a scientific paper received second prize in the Scientific Writing Contest Student National Medical Scientific Airlangga Writing Competition with the theme "Tropical Infectious Diseases" held in October 2011.